This year, Richard Linklater”s “Boyhood” played in the closing night slot of the True/False Film Fest, a festival dedicated to documentaries. The organizers explained the that, because of its documentary-like production schedule, the film represented something that only non-fiction is capable of. “For most casual filmgoers, the role of the producer may be mysterious, in part because their efforts are designed to be invisible onscreen. But a film like 'Boyhood,' seamless as a viewing experience, also demands that we acknowledge the epic care and attention to detail than went into its creation. What's more, Linklater's artistic process, by necessity, took into account the natural meanderings of his actor's lives, lending a verisimilitude to the action missing from many other fiction films.”
The folks behind the Cinema Eye awards clearly agree with True/False”s assessment and in the possibility that fiction can transcend its own narrative to become something worth designating as “non-fiction.” They”ve honored “Boyhood,” “Under the Skin” and three other films with Heterodox nominations, an award for accomplishments in blurring that line.
The Cinema Eye Honors for Nonfiction Filmmaking, sponsored by IFP”s Filmmaker Magazine, named its five nominees Monday afternoon. They are as follows:
“Boyhood”
“Under the Skin”
“Heaven Knows What”
“A Spell to Ward Off the Darkness”
“Stop the Pounding Heart”
“In this fifth year of the Heterodox Award,” said Filmmaker Magazine Editor-in-Chief Scott Macaulay, “these nominated filmmakers, using technology as varied as spy cams to old-fashioned 35mm, have created seamless blends of the real and ‘the real.” Their films, crackling with the rhythms of life, offer inspirations out of the creative cul de sacs found in so much mainstream storytelling.”
Previous winners of the award were Matt Porterfield”s “Putty Hill” (2011), Mike Mills” “Beginners” (2012), Jem Cohen”s “Museum Hours” (2013) and Carlos Reygados”s “Post Tenebras Lux” (2014).
In addition to the Heterodox Award nominees, Cinema Eye announced that voting for the organization”s Audience Choice Prize is now open. The nominees for the Audience Choice Prize are:
“20,000 Days of the Earth”
“The Case Against 8”
“CITIZENFOUR”
“Elaine Strtich: Shoot Me”
“Finding Vivian Maier”
“Jodorowsky”s Dune”
“Keep on Keepin” on”
“Life Itself”
“Mistaken for Strangers”
“Particle Fever”
Vote for your favorite on Cinema Eye”s website.
Winners for the CInema Eye Awards will be announced at the 8th Annual Honors Awards Ceremony on Jan. 7, 2015.